Art and Geology
Art and science are often discussed separately, but the nineteenth-century British critic and artist John Ruskin believed that understanding geology was essential to art, and especially to the art of landscape painting. His close study of rock exposes its geological structure and (to the expert eye) its historical origins. At the heart of all Ruskin's work lies a conviction that insight can be gained most effectively through the intense observation and description of nature. He believed that the artist must understand the structure and biology of a tree to represent it accurately. I agree with Ruskin’s statement in part. I have my students collaborate to find out the history of the tree, but not using the same approach as in a biology lesson. They can make a simple connection. The invention of photography had a dramatic effect on the visual arts. The earliest form of photography known to the public was the daguerreotype, announced in 1839 and named after its creator, the French painter Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre. Daguerreotypes reflected the world in detail. Mounted in elaborate protective cases, this kind of photography formed the preferred self-image.1
The photograph could nonetheless produce precise facsimiles of natural forms with great speed and clarity.2 I agree, and this is why. We are in an age where people want things instantly, which is very accurate. However, I will use my photography to gather ideas for when I desire to paint. Talbot suggested that the camera could provide a helpful tool for landscape painters, a shortcut.3
The leading British landscape photographer of the 1850s, Roger Fenton, had trained as a painter in Paris and London.4 I can relate to this. At the same time, I attended Sam Houston State University from 2003 to 2006. I was taught artistic concepts while studying photography. My professor, Mr. Tracey Viser, said that if I attended the class intensely and learned art and drawing, he would allow the second part to focus on photography. They emphasized that learning art would enhance my photography. The visual impact upon Fenton of the photographs exhibited at the Great Exhibition in 1851 was so significant that he abandoned the brush for the camera. In the same regard, I did the same thing after the 2006 student art show. I earned the Best of Show award and have continued to excel since that time.
Comments: